2016 Masters Bets Are Still On Speith

US golfer Jordan Spieth tees off during Round 1 of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2016, in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta (United States)

(AFP) - A year after his wire-to-wire Masters triumph, Jordan Spieth is still making history at Augusta National and served notice that rivals will have to pry the green jacket off him.

The world number two matched the lowest opening round by a defending Masters champion on Thursday, firing a six-under par 66 to seize the early lead at Augusta National.

"I put it up there with one of the best rounds I've played," Spieth said.

Not since Jack Nicklaus in 1966 -- the year he became the first back-to-back Masters winner -- has a defending champion owned the outright lead after the first round at Augusta National, but the 22-year-old American was in position to equal the feat as all his rivals battled the back nine.

After matching Tiger Woods for the lowest 72-hole score in Masters history at 18-under 270 last year, Spieth solved cool and breezy conditions for a bogey-free round that might have been superior to his opening 64 last year.

"The way I was playing was better a year ago, but the score that came out of the round may have been more impressive today," Spieth said. "Got a lot out of the round with what I felt like was kind of average-ish ball striking.

"It was extremely special to stay bogey-free on a day like today at the Masters."

Spieth, whose champion's opening 66 matched that of Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal from 1995, became the first golfer to lead the Masters for five rounds in a row and the first to begin his Masters career with nine consecutive rounds at par or better.

"Being in this position is really cool," Spieth said. "We just stay patient with what we're doing. We know how to win this tournament, we believe in our process and if the putts are dropping, then hopefully it goes our way."

Spieth was greeted at the tee of the par-3 12th by a standing ovation from the huge crowds that gather to overlook the famed three-hole stretch known as "Amen Corner."

"It was one of the coolest moments I've ever had here," Spieth said. "Just to see everyone start to rise, it was really cool to feel like you belong as the Masters champion. Not that I needed any more reason, but just the gallery recognizes you've won here and this is a special place to you. I thought it was an awesome moment."

English playing partner Paul Casey, who shot 69, was impressed with how he coped with the winds that swirled through the Georgia pines.

"That was a flawless round of golf," the Englishman said. "When he got into trouble... he bailed out in the right place and what could have been an error he turned into a wonderful par save. It was great to have a front-row seat to watch that."

Jordan Spieth stays top after third round of Masters despite late stumble

Jordan Spieth withstood heavy winds and even stiffer challenges to remain atop the Masters leaderboard, and will take a one-shot lead into Monday's (NZ time) final round as he bids to complete a successful defence of his Green Jacket.

The 22-year-old Texan has now held the outright lead for a record seven consecutive rounds and if he can hold on for one more day will join Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only men to claim back-to-back Masters wins.

Spieth, who began the third round with a one-shot advantage, ended it in the same position after a wild afternoon at a windswept Augusta National, carding a one-over 73 that featured two double-bogeys on the back nine, including one at the 18th.

Defending Masters champion Jordan Spieth will take a one-shot lead into the final round.
Harry How/ Getty Images

An 80th Masters that had looked ready to turn into a coronation with Spieth holding a four-stroke edge with two to play but will instead be up for grabs with an eclectic mix of challengers, including a Masters debutant, a 58-year-old former champion and a 24-year-old Japanese sensation all lurking....

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Danny Willett in a green jacket was hard to believe considering he wasn't even sure he could play the Masters two weeks ago.

Jordan Spieth was even more stunned.

Nine holes away from history, the defending Masters champion threw it all away in a collapse around Amen Corner that was shocking even by Augusta National standards. He played the opening three holes of the back nine in 6 over par, including a quadruple bogey at the 12th.

Willett, five shots behind with six holes left to play, birdied three of his last six holes to polish off a round that might not get its due because of Spieth's meltdown. He closed with a 5-under 67, with no bogeys on his card, to match the best score of the weekend.

The 28-year-old Englishman wasn't even planning to play. His wife was due with their first child on this very day. Their son, Zachariah James, was born on March 30, clearing Willett to a most unlikely path to becoming a major champion.

Willett won in his second Masters, ending Europe's 17-year drought at Augusta National, and he became the first player from England to win the green jacket since Nick Faldo in 1996.

How fitting. Faldo also shot 67 that day in a final round remembered more for Greg Norman throwing away a six-shot lead.

Spieth, trying to become the first player in history to win wire-to-wire in a major in successive years, ran off four straight birdies to end the front nine and build a five-shot lead.

And then it all fell apart.

A bogey from the bunker on No. 10. A tee shot into the trees on No. 11 that led to another bogey. Willett made birdie on the 14th to get within one shot. Spieth only needed to get past the dangerous par-3 12th hole to settle himself, especially with two par 5s in front of him.

Instead, his tee shot bounced off the slope and into the water. From the drop zone, his wedge was fat and Spieth turned his head. He didn't even look as it plopped into the water again. He made a quadruple-bogey 7.

On the 10th tee, Spieth was five shots ahead. On the 13th tee, he was three shots behind.

Spieth still had a chance when he birdied both par 5s to get within two shots with three to play. But he missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 16th, and his bogey from the bunker ended all hope. He closed with a 73 and tied for second with Lee Westwood (69).

Great result, nice to see unexpected winners (especially from Yorkshire!) gives the game a boost and great for the fans, good result from Westwood yet again.
Speith has plenty of time to recover and will doubtless continue his streak though doubt he will be as dominant as he was last year.